Sprouting Melodies 2 Framework

[Erika Svolos]

Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies

Write 5 sentences you can use when speaking with parents about musical responses of children in SM 2.

Create a plan for songs and music experiences to use in a Sprouting Melodies 2 session

[Anne Reed]

5 words- exciting, energetic, explorative, observing, surprise

During this group it is alright for the children not to follow along all the time.
Children learn from observing as well as doing so it is okay for your child to watch.
In this stage, infants will still like to put things in their mouths and may not necessarily play the instruments.
Infants at this stage of development start to like to be surprised and will anticipate these moments in the music.
As infants become more mobile, they will start to venture away from their parents to explore their environment.

Hello & Greeting- Gather them into the circle. Engage them with an inviting upbeat song.
Bonding- Lap bounces and/ or lap sharing
Songs about me- start getting up on their feet, jumping and marching
Instrument songs- grab as many instruments they want, allow them to explore, draw them back with a gathering drum song- transition them
Movement song- held by the parent as they dance together
Clean up and Goodbye- way to have them engage in ending the group and then leaving.

[Amy Brownell]

Words: Playful, Exploration, Observation, Surprise, Spontaneous

Sentences:
It is alright is your child moves to a different part of the room, they may come back to you!
Your child is moving around on your lap to try to look at the others in the room – you can turn them around to face the group so they can interact with them!
Your child looks like they have a lot of energy, so you can help them to stand and to jump during this song!
Look at how your child is interacting with the other children by coming to the center and playing the drum with them!
It is ok if your child is putting the instruments in their mouth, they are exploring! We have a bin for those instruments when you leave, and all of our instruments are cleaned before the group.

Plan:
Play recorded music as families come into the room
Have instruments placed in circle around room so children can begin to explore
Hello/Gathering Song – Sing ‘Hello Everybody’ and greet all of the children by name while the caregiver puts a little pressure on the child to acknowledge that it is their turn.
Songs About Me/Body Percussion – Have caregivers hold children in their laps and sing ‘Can You See Me?’ while pointing to different body parts.
Lap Ride/Bonding Song – Have caregivers continue to hold the children in their laps (facing in or facing out) and sing ‘Hold on Tight’ while bouncing and rocking the children from side to side.
Instrument Song – Place a large gathering drum in the middle and sing ‘Dancing in the Middle’ – allow the children to come forward to play the drum and to go back to their caregivers as they wish.
Movement Song – Have the caregivers pick up the children and march in a circle while singing ‘March With My Baby.’ Invite them to run, jump, and perform other movements while holding the children.
Cool Down – Sing the book ‘Five Little Ducks’ while children sit with their caregivers or move closer to look or turn pages.
Goodbye – Sing ‘Bye Bye’ and then ‘Thank You Very Much’ while extending hands to shake with the children and encourage them to shake hands with each other by moving their hands closer to one another.

[Emily Fabian]

WORDS: energetic, surprising, playful, spontaneous, and free

SENTENCES: Your child is moving around the room. It is alright, they are exploring the space and interacting with others around them! I love that you bounced them along to the song, I observe them smiling and laughing with you. They grasped the shaker for a short time. They played along to the music before handing it back to you.

PLAN: GATHERING: sing hello, inviting them to join the circle. BONDING: sing “hold on tight” while parents give a lap ride. SONGS ABOUT ME: sing “that all makes up me” while allowing parents and children to stand up and move to the music; pointing to different body parts. INSTRUMENTS: sing “in my little hand”. Let the children choose instruments from the middle to explore and play. MOVEMENT: sing “March with my baby”. Parents help children to March either to the movement in their lap, while holding them up, or throughout the space. GOODBYE: bring everyone back to the circle and sing “goodbye”.

[Aliza Llovet]

Five Words: Curious, Eager, Playful, Silly, Observers

Five Sentences: It’s okay to walk around “Name” will come back. What a big surprise face “Name” really responded to that change. Wow “Name,” is taking it all in. That’s all right we will clean that off later. (to parents concerned that they’re child is appropriately mouthing) “Name” looks like they need a motor break.

Plan:
During check in procedure: have recorded music play and have some instruments out on floor for family to get comfortable with space through exploration.
Hello/Gathering: Sing hello and welcome every child by name. The caregiver can bring attention to when it’s their child’s turn.
Bonding: Can adjust to group’s activity level whether presenting more of a lap sharing song or lap ride like Hold on Tight.
Songs About Me: Invite movement in this group many will want to be getting mastery of different motor abilities whether walking, running, jumping, etc. can be done with “March with my Baby” or “That all makes up me”
Movement: You can further continue this as much as is needed by your group maybe including elements of surprise in the songs by having quick changes or building up anticipation
Instrument Song: You could use “Dancing in the Middle” to bring the families back together to get instruments and encourage play with songs like “In my little hand”
Cool Down: Could be a book or maybe counting activity with felt animals or toys such as “Five Green and Speckled frogs”
Good bye: Have this set aside time to prepare children for the transition to leave. Having the same good bye song helps strengthen that routine.

[Jessica Gelineau]

Five words that describe the music experiences in Spouting Melodies 2 are: playful, surprising, spontaneous, energetic and free.

Five sentences that can be used with children in Sprouting Melodies 2:
“It was so wonderful to see your child exploring the therapy space while listening to the music!”
“That was wonderful to see how your child started to shake the maraca.”
“I notice that your child is walking very close to the beat of the music, what an amazing impact the music has on them.”
“During Wiggly Jiggly Car your child looked at me to anticipate the next part of the song, its great that they are starting to understand the cause and effect relationship of this song!”
“Look at how much independence your child is gaining through music!”

Sprouting Melodies 2 Plan:
Instrument Play and Exploration
Gathering: Sing Hello to each child
Bonding: Sing Wiggly Jiggly Car while explaining to parents how they can leave musical space and rests within the music to help children anticipate when they will be bounced.
Songs About Me: Sing Just Like Me while leaving room for children to point to their body parts. While singing the song, the MT leading group can encourage parents to not point to one body part to see if the child will point to their own body part.
Instrument Song: Sing Dancing in the Middle with a gathering drum placed in the center of the circle. Encourage children to tap the drum, or come to the center of the circle.
Movement Song: Sing March With My Baby and allow caregivers and parents the choice to model marching or jumping and encourage their children to imitate, or help their children move to the beat of the music while moving their child’s body.
Goodbye Song: Sing Thank You Very Much as the group ends, model the sign for “thank you” as children are saying goodbye to other peers.

[Erika Svolos]

Wonderful plans! Remember to save these as you complete the training and move on, these can be helpful in informing your work.

[Hannah Floyd]

5 Words- Energizing, Observation, Playful, Curious, Silly

Sentences: Don’t worry if your child wants to move around to look at others or to explore the room. Even if they seem like they are not participating through doing the action, they are learning as much just from watching. The way they are interacting with you through laughter is great. It’s great to see how your child is moving close to the beat.

Plan: HELLO/GATHERING: Sing hello, inviting the children to join the circle. When their name is called, parent will give the child a light squeeze letting them know that they are being acknowledged. BONDING: Moving the child to the parent’s lap, MT will sing Hold On Tight as the parents bounce their legs. INSTRUMENTS: Have children choose instruments they are interested in and explore them. Then, when they choose one, have them return to the middle of the circle where a gathering drum will be. Begin singing Dancing in the Middle, allowing the child to play the drum with their hand or the instrument they have chosen. SONGS ABOUT ME/BODY PERCUSSION: Begin singing “Can You See Me” and have the children stand and point to different body parts. MOVEMENT: Sing “March With My Baby, having them change the movements (Jump, Stomp, Clap, etc). GOODBYE: Have everyone come back to the circle, sit in the laps of their parents, and sing goodbye.

[Author]

Posts